The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-10-01
THE Power OF CHRIST.


That the event narrated in the Lesson re-
ally occurred substantially as described by
the Evangelists we can hardly doubt; though
not few eminently !devout and Christian
scholars regard the story as a symbolic rep
resentation of the power of JESUS and of
| Christian faith and trust, over the turbulent
| and violent souls of men. To apparently
| control or modify the operation of the forces
| of nature is indeed a miracle Surprisingly
marvelous.) We never saw it in this fashion
| MARK H. 12). And we know no law of ma
ture by which it may be done. But then we
know comparatively little of the laws of even
physical nature, and we know much less of
the Supreme Soul that directs and may con-
troll the laws of the universe. JESUS declared
that his miraculous cures were done by GOD
who sent him as witness of his mission (John
xiv 10Y. Such works are certainly suitable
to the purpose, if not in ed necessary. Ger
tainly it is not incredible that GoD may and
does control and modify the operation of the
laws of all nature, to accomplish his pur-
poses, when it is known that man does this
in the sphere of his existence and capacity.
Whatever transcends the knowledge and ca
pacity of man is miraculous All the mira
Giles of the New Testament may be entirely
within the power of COP to accomplish
naturally to Him, supernatural to us-and
of him who is richly endowed with His spirit
and power By what means the miracles
were accomplished, or whether they were
real occurrences, or symbols of spiritual
truth, are questions of Interpretation about
which sincere Christian students widely diff
fer.
JESUS was the manifestation of the Divine
power in man. His whole life was marvel
GUS exhibition of this power, and nothing
which it is recorded that he did, is more won
derful than what he himself was. He spoke
and did as no man had ever done before. He
spoke in parallels and the people wondered
at his words. May not his wonderful works
have a parabohc significance. Indeed, the
miracles of JESUS are of most practical sig
nifcance to US as symbols rather than reali-
ties. They are, SO to speak, the metaphors
of his life, as the parallels were of his teach
ing. The shilling of the tempest may Illus
trate his power to control the turbulent pas
sions of the soul, and to lull the storms of
life which endanger its peace. Genuine
Christian faith imparts "The Souls calm
sunshine
The soul is often tossed by spiritual winds,
and whelmed by waves of trouble. Said the
Psalmist psalm xiii. u deep calleth for
deep; Thy cataracts roar; all thy waves and
pillows have gone over me."-Dr. Noyes'
Translation. And again Psalm lxxxviii. y,
"The wicket are like the troubled sea, when
it cannot rest; whose waters cast up mire and
dirt" We speak of storms of sorrow and
trouble. And there are social tempests, strifes,
and fighting, and wars. Nations and the world
at times, seem tossed with tempest. The wa
tiers of society rage, the winds blow, the seas
roar, and the blackness of darkness covers
the earth. The hearts of men surge and toss
and are full of grief and distress. And then
JESUS says, Peace, be STILL" He says to
the wicked, Repent for the kingdom of
heaven is at hand;' to the poor, There is
heavenly treasure within your reach;" to the
afflicted, "The Father knows your need; and
while he cares for falling sparrows, does he
not care much more for your" to the mourn
ing, " Blessed are ye, for ye shall be COM
forted;" to the wrathful and Quarrelsome,
"All ye are brethren, and One is your IA
Their even Con- to the doubtful and fearful,
"Only believer" to all who SO trust in him as
to obey him and receive his spirit in their
hearts, My peace l give unto you. "-Dr.
Demarest.
This is stupendous miracle, one of those
which test whether we indeed believe in the
credibility of the miracles or not; one of these
miracles of power which cannot, like many
of the miracles of healing, be explained by
existing laws. But if we believe that
Cop rules; if we have reason to hold among
the deepest convictions of our being, the GER
tainty that GoD has not delegated His sover-
eighty or His providence to the final, unin-
telligent, pitiless, inevitable working of ma
we nm
EvaDgelists the quiet simplicity of truthful
and faithful witnesses; if we see in every
year of succeeding history, and in every ex-
perience of individual life, a confirmation CT
the testimony which they deivered-then we
shall neither clutch at rationalistic interpre-
tatioas, nor be much troubled if others adopt
them. He who believes, he who ka0tOs, the
efficacy of prayer, IN what other men may
regard as the inevitable certainties or blindly
directed accidents of life-he who has felt
how the voice of Saviour. heard across the
long generations can calm wilder storms than
ever buffeted into fury the bosom of the in
land lake-he who sees in the person of his
Redeemer fact more etupendous than all
those observed sequences which men endow
with all imaginary omnipotence, and wor-
ship under the name of Law-to him, at
least, there will be neither difficulty nor hes
itation in supposing that CHRIST, on board
that half wrecked fishing boat, did utter His
mandate, and that the wind and sea obeyed;
that His WORD was indeed more potent
among the cosmos forces than miles of agi-
tated water or leagues of rushing air.-CGn0n
Fdrrar, Z" Life of CHRIST"
These marvellous acts are the shadowy side
of the Ii 20 of our prophet, of which no one
can speak with full assurance. In regard to
their occult powers we may remember his
words, No man knows who the son il, but
the Father" Many thousand years may
pass before the world will grow up to the foil
~ khaa a. Is 30. de-
stand his powers, by a similar unfolding of
powers in itself. The time may come, when
men shall become fully the Sons of GoD, and
be at one with the Father. When that time
arrives it will not seem strange for the soul
be obeyed.-s'Thomas Didymus," James
Freeman Clarke.